Unfortunately for many voters, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will face off again in the 2024 presidential election. This terrifying rematch became official in March, when both candidates secured enough delegates to become their party's nominee. Trump lost the vote to Nikki Haley despite withdrawing from the race, and Biden faced an unusual opponent of uncommitted voters, but both candidates won very quickly and by large margins. did.
The two candidates are nearly evenly matched in national polls, with 40.9% of voters supporting Biden and 41.6% supporting Trump. But recent polls show Biden trailing in key battleground states, with Trump trailing by several points in Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina. To gauge support from a key demographic of young voters, Red & Black asked young Democrats at the University of Georgia to share their thoughts on Biden's campaign.
Biden's looming unpopularity
Biden now faces widespread unpopularity among voters who supported him four years ago. Voter reluctance has been attributed to economic conditions, the Israeli-Hamas war, and his age.
Biden's approval rating among black voters fell from 87% to 71%, while Trump's approval rating rose from 8% to 22%, according to the New York Times' podcast The Daily. Black voters, who were crucial to Biden's 2020 campaign, are skeptical they will vote in his favor in this election. Although the economy is doing well in terms of numbers, many voters still struggle to buy groceries and are experiencing economic hardship, so they are switching to support Trump because of his business expertise. .
Another key demographic Biden is losing support to is Muslim and Arab-American voters, who were crucial to his previous victories in battleground states like Michigan. Many of those voters are now refusing to support him for a second term. Biden's immediate response to the Israel-Hamas war has left them feeling betrayed by his administration, especially because of the recent Biden-backed foreign aid package that included $4 billion earmarked for replenishing Israel's missile defense system. ing.
“I think President Biden has failed across the board in terms of promoting aid and supporting the genocide that's going on in Gaza,” said Yasmin Saber, a fourth-year finance and international business major.
Ultimately, Sabele believes it is too late for Biden to change his stance on Gaza, but defunding Israel's military operations could win back support from Muslim and Arab voters. He says it may be possible.
Young voters believe that Biden is simply too old to hold office. He is a representative of a bygone political era and is incapable of getting involved in youth issues. Sabail believes this is a problem for both Biden and Trump, suggesting that their age is hampering their ability to understand a new generation of voters.
“I love my grandpa, but I don't want him to be president of the United States,” Saber said.
Sabail said Biden has lost much of his momentum from the progressive voters who secured his victory in 2020. Many communities feel that Mr. Biden has fallen short on promises around women's reproductive health, law enforcement reform, and expanded access to health care and economic opportunity. Sabail believes Biden will need major policy reforms and concrete changes to win back voters.
“Empty promises like that need to be backed up by some policy and some real change that people can see,” Saber said.
Biden's Bulldoze
Jake Hayes, a sophomore majoring in political science and public relations, is spearheading Bulldawgs for Biden, an organization aimed at mobilizing voters to re-elect the president. Professor Hayes recognizes that many of his UGA students are reluctant about the upcoming election, but wants to inform them about Biden's accomplishments and encourage them to register to vote.
“[Biden has] He passed legislation and he did a lot of it in a bipartisan way,” Hayes said. “That's important.”
Hayes said Biden achieved results on multiple fronts, including gun control legislation, climate change mitigation, low unemployment and a large bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Hayes believes Biden can win over undecided voters by improving his campaign messaging. Biden has made good on several promises, including a cap on insulin prices, but he hasn't promoted them enough.
When Hayes votes, he will “focus on policies that help people and block policies that hurt people.”
trump vs biden
Saber is currently undecided, but is leaning toward not voting in the next presidential election. She believes the American people deserve a better candidate, and she believes neither Biden nor Trump deserve her vote.
“[Trump] He was literally an insurrectionist who questioned the integrity of our entire electoral system. [Biden] It is enabling genocide on the other side of the world,” Saber said.
Hayes voted for Biden in the primary and plans to vote for him again in the presidential election. Who he votes for in this election is a matter of right or wrong for Mr. Hayes. He believes Biden is a fundamentally good person and a good American.
“There is one person who cares deeply about democracy, American values and the American Dream,” Hayes said. “Then, that's not really the case, and there are people who are willing to break the law for their own personal gain.”
No president is perfect, Hayes said, but there is one president who is clearly better for the United States.
Whichever you choose, be sure to register to vote so you can choose whether to participate. Stay up-to-date on key dates, including the May 21st primary election, which includes the selection of Georgia Supreme Court justices, and the November 5th general election, when Biden and Trump face off again. Do your research and get information about the candidates before you go to the polls.
